How Did they Die?

Old characters in Mythic Bastionland stand a chance of just dying off-screen between Ages.

But what happened to that person?

Roll d66

11: The life was coughed out of their rattling lungs

12: Their body wasted away to bone and shadow

13: Gnawed on too much numbing bark for their pain

14: Strangled in wrath with little fight

15: Fell from a height and scattered their innards

16: Faded with their appetite, withered beside a full plate

21: Sank in a mire and not wholly found

22: Left to bleed on the roadside

23: A malady in their last meal turned their belly to rot

24: Trampled beneath horses

25: Spat out their blood in the night

26: Perished in weak murmurs, none heard or came

31: Burned in a fire brought by a neighbour

32: Torn apart by maddened hounds

33: Swollen to bursting by the old plagues' return

34: Smote by lightning atop a hill

35: Rode out with trembling hands, never found

36: Their mind was hot with raving till their soul slipped free

41: Slipped on the ground and cracked their skull

42: Lost their words, then their breath

43: Half-woke at dawn, still in their dream, dead by nightfall

44: Their body left clenched and contorted from wicked grain

45: Bitten by invisible mites, dying puffed and sputtering

46: Fell in a field, unable to drag themselves back

51: Wandered too far and grew cold, dying beneath their blanket

52: Found sitting stiff, watching the sky

53: Hollowed out by belly worms and left pale

54: Rendered silent by sun sickness

55: Bitten by a coughing wind, which spread deep

56: Dreamt too deeply, never to wake

61: Split open in a petty feud

62: Fed false herbs by will or chance, cold and blue

63: Hacked down by uncaring raiders

64: Choked on a bone at their evening meal

65: Screamed out their last breaths in the night

66: Drank deep of cursed water, leaving a yellowed corpse

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If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.

Between the Ages

Following on from last week, here are some events that might happen between Ages.

Other than the inevitable

Roll d66 for each Knight:

11. You suffered a great failure and must re-pledge your Oath in order to retain your Knighthood.

12. You have been in a nearby Realm on diplomatic duty. Roll a Spirit Save. On a pass, you are now well-esteemed there. On a fail you triggered a war with them.

13. You have become deathly ill. You that know you will die before the next Age without supernatural intervention.

14. You saved the life of a Seer, so they owe you a favour.

15. You have been named as heir to a Seat of Power.

16. You gain an especially loyal pet.

21. The most important non-player character to you dies suddenly. You are with them in their last moments.

22. You have spent years trapped in an Otherworld.

23. You brokered peace with raiders from beyond your borders, who have set up a Holding of their own in the Realm.

24. You won a great battle. Choose its location and roll a Vigour Save. On a pass you won, placing a Monument there. Otherwise you lost, placing a Curse there.

25. A distant or estranged relative has come to the Realm, finding a place in court.

26. An enemy or rival from your past has found a place in court.

31. You inherit a piece of armour (your choice) belonging to a Knight-Radiant, who has left to find the city. Old knights hold you in high regard when you wear it.

32. Roll a Clarity Save. On a pass you helped depose an unjust ruler, who seeks petty revenge against you. On a fail you unwittingly helped to make them a ruler.

33. A defeated foe has placed a sizeable bounty on your head.

34. You received prophetic dreams of a new Myth in the realm. The dreams relate to its final Omen.

35. You helped a new Seer find their sanctuary. Place it anywhere you wish.

36. A random visiting Knight gifts you their steed before they leave.

41. Justifiable or not, the vassals have taken to calling you "The Wicked"

42. Justifiable or not, the vassals have taken to calling you "The Great"

43. You are offered a new Knightly title. Roll a new Knight type and decide if you wish to exchange your gear and ability for the new one.

44. As a diplomatic gesture you have been barred from visiting the Seat of Power.

45. You fight in a battle that sees the destruction of a random holding. Decide which side you were on.

46. You set up a modest home for yourself that has grown into a dwelling. Place it wherever you choose.

51. Illness plagues those close to you. Choose three non-player characters close to you. They must each pass a Vigour Save or die.

52. A ghost from a previous encounter still haunts you. You cannot sleep alone.

53. You have been exiled from the Realm. If you stay you are doing so under a false identity.

54. You were sent to fight against a nearby Realm, earning a bloody reputation amongst its loyal Knights. They swore to come for you one day.

55. You helped a young protegee become a full Knight. Roll their Knight type at random, and they are now roaming the Realm on their own quest.

56. Time has been cruel to you. If you are Mature, immediately age to Old. If you are Old, lose d6 Vigour to a minimum of 2.

61. Time has been good to you. If you would age to Old, remain as Mature instead. If you would age to Mature you may increase any one Virtue by d6 to a maximum of 18.

62. You earn a reputation in tournaments. Gain d6 Maximum Guard to a maximum of 18.

63. You were embroiled in a blood feud with a ruler of the Realm. Decide somebody close to you who died in the conflict, and also somebody close to them.

64. A particularly harrowing battle leaves you with little appetite for combat Lose d6 Maximum Guard to a minimum of 1.

65. Another Knight bearing your title has entered the Realm, seeking to usurp your position.

66. A holding unexpectedly fell into your rule.

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This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site the week after its original publication.

If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.

Between the Seasons

Mythic Bastionland assumes that you’ll advance through the Seasons, and likely through the Ages, seeing your Knights grow old and maybe die a peaceful death. 

In terms of what happens between the end of a session and the start of a new Season or Age, it’s left quite loose. You get this table.

And of course there are Spark tables for the Referee to draw on. These ones in particular are handy.

And maybe this middle one when you become Old.

I turn 40 in a couple of weeks, so I’m studying this one carefully.

Knights also get to choose an activity between Seasons and Ages, but what if want to inject a slightly more concrete random event thing?

Let's go. We'll just do between Seasons today. These aren't really meant to be played out in full, you just discuss what happened as a group when you move to a new Season.

Some of these call for specific Spark Tables found in the book.

Between Season Events

Each Knight rolls d66:

11. An old Knight offers you their longsword (2d8) if you pledge to train their grandchild as a squire.

12. A random Seer of the Realm is dying and summoned to you ask them one last question.

13. You become ill, roll an ailment.

14. You are assigned an important role at a wedding.

15. The ruler of a nearby holding has openly spoken ill of you.

16. While camping, one of your weapons, shields, or pieces of armour was stolen.

21. A messenger from a distant realm brings news, with a loose connection to you.

22. Your steed suddenly dies.

23. Local farmers provide you with sustenance.

24. A merchant from a neighbouring realm provides you with stimulant.

25. A band of pilgrims offer you sacrament.

26. Somebody close to you becomes ill, roll an ailment.

31. You learn of a new Landmark in the Realm. Roll and place it randomly.

32. You witness a ghost from your past.

33. You meet a travelling part. Roll SPI. If you pass, they write a complimentary song about you, granting 1 Glory. If you fail they mock you, losing 1 Glory until you prove them wrong.

34. You meet a new successor, potentially more promising than your own if you have one.

35. You meet a potential romantic partner. Pass a SPI Save to see if the affection is mutual.

36. You indirectly cause a great fire, wiping out a hex of forest or other greenery.

41. A visiting Knight wishes to duel you.

42. You discover a raiding party from a neighbouring Realm.

43. You stumbled upon a wild beast. It gave you a Scar (d12) before leaving you for dead. Any Virtue loss caused by this is still active at the start of the next Season.

44. A wandering Seer from a distant Realm offers you cryptic guidance.

45. You learn the location of a legendarily powerful longsword (3d8 hefty), but it's in the most inconvenient place.

46. You encounter a Knight sworn to an enemy Realm, but they're pleading for sanctuary and passage to the Seat of Power.

51. You are called to adjudicate between a truthful but vindictive ruler and a dishonest but desperate vassal.

52. You learn of a secret Drama in court.

53. A Seer personally calls you for a Task.

54. You are at the centre of a new Conflict between two holdings.

55. You witness a Wonder in a hex near to your most significant holding.

56. You dream of an Otherworld.

61. You are accused of a crime you did not commit.

62. You are swept up within a peoples' revolt in the Realm.

63. You find a band of artisans from a distant Realm. You escort them to set up shop in a holding.

64. You offended a strange hermit and they swore a curse upon you. Seers predict grave things for you.

65. You are with a random ruler as they die suddenly.

66. A ruler abandons their holding, calling you to aid in establishing a new ruler.

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This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site the week after its original publication.

If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.